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Post by paulbrownsey on Oct 1, 2019 9:34:05 GMT
I'm completely out of touch; is it not acceptable to say homosexuality is "not right"? It's interesting for me, I'd say pretty well half the people I work with in multicultural south London would share than view - mostly African Christians and south Asian Muslims, and/or the second generations thereof. " is it not acceptable to say homosexuality is "not right"?" Might it depend on whom you say it to and in what context? Free speech doesn't mean you can say anything to anyone at any time, or that would make it OK for her to fix up a loudspeaker in my house and broadcast her views to me 24/7.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Sept 24, 2019 10:54:16 GMT
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Post by paulbrownsey on Sept 23, 2019 20:26:11 GMT
After much thought I can't help, but as a boy I was fascinated by American Indians and something stirs deep down in my memory about going to see--was it a film?--that was about Indians, but I was bored because it was all about something--was it uranium?--being discovered on their land and this made them wealthy. I found on Wiki a supposedly complete list of film musicals and went through it hoping I'd find a musical that fitted your description, but I had no luck.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Sept 6, 2019 10:27:59 GMT
"the majority of audiences are sadly white middle/upper class people - in most cities."
Sadly?
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Post by paulbrownsey on Aug 31, 2019 17:55:54 GMT
Well, yes. We are brought up to believe that whereas men are fundamentally and essentially hoaching with violence, women are essentially warm and nice and caring and so on. I’m sorry what does ‘hoaching’ mean? It's Scots. It means filled with, buzzing with, swarming with, rife with.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Aug 31, 2019 15:46:31 GMT
One of the girls would whip her phone out any time there was any kind of violence and start recording it on Snapchat. At risk of being a bit sexist, I wouldn't have been too surprised if it was a lad doing it, especially some of the idiots I was in school with, but that it was a girl revelling in the violence of a torture scene was weirdly troubling to me. Well, yes. We are brought up to believe that whereas men are fundamentally and essentially hoaching with violence, women are essentially warm and nice and caring and so on.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Aug 25, 2019 11:35:01 GMT
Hard Times - The Musical. Haymarket Theatre Set in a circus and starring Roy Hudd. I couldnt stand any part of it. I just didnt understand the circus theme... Presumably something to do with a contrast between Gradgrind's obsession with facts and nothing but facts and the life of the imagination and fancy.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Aug 22, 2019 18:56:36 GMT
When I was at Blues in the Night, an older man in the slips in the stalls stood up half way through to take a photo and must have been standing for a good 30-45 seconds lining up the picture. This somehow went unnoticed by FOH staff. Perhaps they thought he was giving a standing ovation, which makes it OK to block other people's view.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Aug 17, 2019 14:59:48 GMT
Behaving better than an audience some of us have been in lately perhaps? I don’t want to be that guy, but if not advertised in advance I would probably have had to leave. Yes. And they won't be so selfishly inconsiderate of the people behind as to go in for standing ovations.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Aug 3, 2019 15:02:47 GMT
No problem,just an idea,ptwest...such a shame when adults/children or both just don’t know about basic theatre etiquette. One would have thought that basic consideration for others might have obviated the need for specific theatre etiquette, but it looks as if basic consideration for others isn't there.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jul 28, 2019 20:40:21 GMT
Big problems at the Six sing-a-long. Attention seekers think they were at a concert were standing up all of the time meaning others couldn't not see. If it's OK to block others' view by means of a 'standing ovation', presumably it's OK to do it the rest of the time. Both are examples of inconsiderate behaviour.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jul 25, 2019 18:40:00 GMT
Alarming to read of all the behavior problems...today's Stage is a catalogue of misery and concern.I wonder,seriously,if all our attempts to create open access has seriously confused people. Marketing frequently encourages us to be part of the action....be immersed.....its a party for us all to join in.....theatre wants us to create totally informal atmosphere......At Hamilton recently-the selfie capital of West End theatre throughout whole show.....RSC want photos then they dont.......At Globe its all a riot.....thats why the tragedies often suffer.....Emma Rice wanted babes in arms to add to the festivities..... Relaxed performances-enable wandering around,talking,lights up considerably,come and go as you like..... Then....suddenly its all change-next night....darkness,no photos,no tweets,no phones...behave. The whole series of mixed messsages may well be causing behaviour confusion.....take your drinks in.....we are all cool here..... until you step out of line. I have no solution to suggest....but think we are sending totally confusing messages out there. The problem is not confused messages, the problem is people who think that they can behave the same wherever they are. You go to a family show and it's going to be different than a more adult one, a circus is different than a ballet. It doesn't take much to realise and understand that you change your behaviour according to circumstance. Any adult who can't cope with this is not trying and/or doesn't care and should be upbraided for it. Perhaps they get too much self-esteem pumped into them at school, so that they think that whatever they do is fine.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jul 17, 2019 20:13:28 GMT
I have a feeling Jukebox Musicals attract the worst sorts and without wanting to distract from the severity of the topic, if it means banning all Jukeboxes I will happily sign that decree! Posters for jukebox musicals sometimes try to lure people in by saying things like "They were dancing in the aisles" (Whatsit Evening Express). Which encourages some members of the audience to think it's OK to behave as if they are at a party.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jul 17, 2019 20:11:24 GMT
^This is frankly a disgrace...I thought I was unshockable but this just about takes the biscuit... Debt Collectors and PCSO's wearing them makes sense, I'm in favour of that. But seriously what has gone wrong with society when Ushers of Theatres are being asked to wear them for their own safety? This is where we know, for sure, something has gone far too wrong. I'd be really interested to know what Theatres are doing the trials, if that provides a clue as to audience demographics, etc. I have a feeling Jukebox Musicals attract the worst sorts and without wanting to distract from the severity of the topic, if it means banning all Jukeboxes I will happily sign that decree!
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jul 10, 2019 9:51:42 GMT
Indeed, the Curve is now very much a place for launching and fine tuning big tours. It may not seat that many, but has a very large stage, good wing space, fly facilities, rigs etc etc, is new and technically advanced - makes it an ideal place to tech a big show. I am REALLY disappointed at their reconfiguration through. I always sit on an aisle seat, a) as I am very tall and b) as I have anxiety and really don't like the feeling of being 'stuck' in the middle of a row. As such I MUCH prefer theatres with one or two central aisles as I can have an aisle seat that also has a good view. Theatres with long rows and only side aisles, I always sit at the side. Front Stalls at Curve going from two central aisles to none is therefore a shame! That aside is a fantastic comfortable modern theatre. I am surprised that the health & safety authorities have allowed so many theatres to remove their centre aisles and fill them up with extra seats. Wouldn't it make for slower evacuation in the event of a fire?
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jun 29, 2019 18:10:26 GMT
To be fair, it was already announced on Twitter that Spin was on in place of Marcus this week. He did Wednesday, but no idea why he wasn’t on on Thursday. But the end of week cancellations rather sound like a bug going around. It's very irritating when they don't have the decency to say exactly what the problem was that mucked up the audience-to-be's plans. "Unforeseen circumstances" could cover virtually anything.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jun 13, 2019 19:02:10 GMT
Oh please don't get certain people started on this again, I feel like it is a topic that has been done to death on various threads here... Anyway, my view on it is simple - if you feel the show is worthy of a standing ovation in your personal opinion, then give one if you want to. If you don't, then don't. Whether a show "warrants" that sort of reaction is and always will be entirely subjective and what everyone else around you feels about the show is irrelevant - plenty of people stood when I saw Company but I didn't overly like the production, so I didn't. My prerogative. The people sitting beside me didn't stand at A German Life, I did. Their prerogative and mine! It's nothing more complicated than that, and there's certainly no "should" involved, unless you choose to make it that. If people feel they have to stand up, that's nothing more than a personal choice on their part, no-one is forcing them to do it. "if you feel the show is worthy of a standing ovation in your personal opinion, then give one if you want to. " Consideration for other people--the people behind you--should obviously play no part.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jun 13, 2019 19:00:44 GMT
I tend to save it for spectacular performances, however, I do find myself reluctantly standing if people have done so in front of me just so I’m not aimlessly looking at their bottoms and can see what’s happening on the stage. Well, yes. Standing-ovationers are so selfish with their 'look at me applauding' thing.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jun 13, 2019 18:59:37 GMT
There's nothing rude about a standing ovation. It's a show of appreciation. You may be blocking people behind you but from what? The show's over, people have come out to bow, nothing else is actually happening or am I missing something? Sometimes they do those horrible reprises of a number from the show but really if you're not standing up you probably aren't that bothered. Mid show ovations are still thankfully rare but would block people, usually a more isolated thing though? The fact that ovations are now de rigueur is a separate issue! They ARE rude, in that they show no consideration for the people behind but force them to stand, too, if they want to see the performers taking their bows. And sometimes the poor people behind have to stand, too, to see the finale. You're awfully selfish, aren't you? And what you you say about "nothing else...actually happening" is just self-serving flannel to cover your own selfishness.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jun 13, 2019 18:57:08 GMT
People giving a standing ovation doesn’t overly bother me, it’s the people at the end whooping and whistling between their fingers, that I have a problem with - why do people feel the need to do that, especially the latter as it goes right through my head? The shriekers are just as inconsiderate as they standing-ovationers. In both cases, they are thinking only of demonstrating their own feelings and not giving a damn about the members of the audience around them or behind them.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jun 13, 2019 18:55:16 GMT
Nothing to do with being British. He was simply a rude old silly self important man in any nationality. So sorry you had to put up with that. Opera standings as been said much less common that musicals or v serious plays. The self-important people are the ones who stand to applaud and thereby treat the people in the seats behind with contempt, forcing them to stand as well if they want to see the bows/finale. Standing ovations were, unfortunately, encouraged on those TV talent shows because it was thought to be 'good television' to see a whole audience rising to their feet.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Jun 13, 2019 18:53:12 GMT
So I went to see an opera at the Royal Opera House, and greatly enjoyed the performance. So towards the end of the curtain call, when the main characters came out, I was tempted to give a standing ovation. I looked around, and saw a few people giving standing ovation, so gave a standing ovation myself. Even before the curtain call ended, roughly 30 seconds afterwards, an old man sitting behind me poked me. Because of the applause I could not clearly hear him, but I thought he said something like “What are you doing?”, and since that is such a rude thing to say, thought that I was mistaken. So I said “Sorry?” and he said, “Sit down.” I was dumbfounded but nevertheless sat down. Then after the curtain call ended and the audience left the theatre, and I met the same old man in the queue to the exit. He said, “Why were you standing?” in an aggressive way, so I replied, “You do realise that standing ovation is a form of showing appreciation and”—I couldn’t finish what I was saying as he interrupted by saying “No. It is not. You were blocking my view. What were you thinking?” And so I tried to tell him that there were other people who stood up during curtain call as well, but he insisted that I was wrong, there is no such thing as standing ovation, and that he was angry because I blocked his view. When I told him that the way he talked to me was rude, he said that “It was meant to be.” I want to ask if it is indeed inappropriate to give standing ovation in ROH- I am not british, so I am unsure whether standing ovations are indeed forbidden in the uk opera scene as he said, or if he was just a rude racist guy. Please tell me your thoughts! I am surprised you cannot see that standing ovations are very selfish and inconsiderate, since they prevent people behind seeing the cast taking their bows (and sometimes prevent the people behind from seeing the finale, too), unless they stand as well. Who are you to compel others to stand if they want to see the finale?
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Post by paulbrownsey on May 24, 2019 9:35:07 GMT
There shouldn't be any need for rules like "no food or drink". If you care about the effect of what you're doing on other people then reasonable behaviour falls out of it naturally. As the Spartans said on a memorable occasion: "If."
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Post by paulbrownsey on May 18, 2019 11:00:29 GMT
Funny enough, I was wondering about colour-blind casting last night too. I don't see it would be an issue. There were certainly black people in all classes in London at the time the show was set. That we whitewashed them out of history books so the fact wasn't recognised is the actual issue at stake, I feel. *We* didn't whitewash them out. Some people previously alive did that. Only feel guilty for the things *you* have done.
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Post by paulbrownsey on May 17, 2019 20:59:17 GMT
"Let me think of better ideas and you can let me know your thoughts
Anna - king and I
Christine daae - specifically played by black lady (yes I know the book states she’s from Sweden or something.
Julie Jordan"
Not trying to start a fight but food for thought."
According to the intro to my edition of The English Governess At the Siamese Court, the real Anna may have been mixed-race.
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Post by paulbrownsey on May 10, 2019 9:15:04 GMT
Saw this earlier this week. Great show. The whole audience loved it. Standing ovation. Accept the story for what it is. Enjoy the music. Interesting set. Don’t trust those who give it only two stars. I give it 4. "Standing ovation." I note that it is a show that attracts selfish people ready to deny those behind sight of the finale and bows.
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Post by paulbrownsey on May 2, 2019 11:36:12 GMT
Is it even worth reporting standing ovations any more? They have become utterly meaningless. Paging paulbrownsey ! Meaningless AS WELL AS bad behaviour (for they force the people behind to stand, too, if they want to see the bows/finale, which is very selfish on the part of those given to standing ovations)!
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Post by paulbrownsey on Apr 30, 2019 11:17:51 GMT
I don't know if it's the weather, this city, this (and actually my) generation or just a general paradigm shift towards a culture of self-absorbed, selfish narcissism but I'm getting to the point where I question even bothering wasting money booking shows when I'd say at least half the time there is some distraction or another. Not even just theatre, anything where you need to focus and pay attention to fully appreciate - cinema, opera, classical music, art galleries whatever. They get told in schools they are special, and there is all this emphasis on building their self-esteem, which reaches the point of their thinking, "If I do it, it cannot be other than wonderful."
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Post by paulbrownsey on Apr 25, 2019 18:23:03 GMT
“Reach out” basically means “I’m trying to give the impression I phoned them but actually I just sent an email” A Canadian colleague where I volunteer uses this expression, which I had never heard before and assumed was a N American one. Alas, it has now crept in here but always makes me picture the speaker literally reaching out, as if to touch or even embrace the other person, which would generally be as inappropriate as impossible. And it's so redolent of Diana Ross .
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Post by paulbrownsey on Apr 11, 2019 20:31:51 GMT
It's not "racism against the whites" if people want to give a show a standing ovation, Paul. Doesn't really fit, your attempted witticism, does it? And when you refer to "people [who]want to give a show a standing ovation," you are omitting mention of other people, namely, those sitting behind whom the former lot selfishly prevent from seeing the bows/finale.
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